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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Another three-run homer coupled with a 14-strikeout performance from its starting pitcher propelled Ohio State past Purdue baseball 6-1 in game 2 of the series Friday at Alexander Field.
Skyler Hunter's leadoff double led to an early lead for the Boilermakers (20-33, 7-15 B1G), but Hunter was the only player to record a hit against OSU starter Seth Lonsway. The lefty struck out 14 over eight innings of two-hit ball, posting a single-game strikeout record in the seven-year history of Alexander Field. Lonsway (7-4) has racked up 27 Ks over his last two starts and recorded 110 strikeouts in 80 1/3 innings this season.
The Buckeyes (30-24, 11-12 B1G) kept pace in the Big Ten Tournament chase. They remain in a three-way tie for seventh place with Northwestern and Maryland. If UMD completes a sweep of Iowa on Saturday coupled with wins by NU and OSU, the Hawkeyes will join a four-way tie for sixth place. One of the four teams will be left out of the Big Ten Tournament.
Even if Purdue won the first two games of the series this weekend, Maryland's two wins vs. Iowa coupled with Northwestern's victory Friday vs. Minnesota would have eliminated the Boilermakers from Big Ten Tournament contention.
Brent Todys hit the two-out, three-run homer in the third inning, going deep to left field for the second night in a row. He has three extra-base hits and five RBI over the first two games of the series.
Todys' home run was the only one allowed by Patrick J. Smith in 60 innings this season. He entered the night as the only pitcher in the Big Ten with enough innings to qualify for the league's ERA leaders to have not allowed a home run.
Smith (4-4) struck out four of the first 10 batters he faced, finishing his senior season with 70 Ks. His mark of 10.50 strikeouts per nine innings ranks second in program history, behind only teammate Trent Johnson (10.89), for pitchers with at least 60 innings.
The Purdue bullpen posted five consecutive zeros to finish the game. Dalton Parker worked 3 2/3 innings of one-hit ball in his finest outing of the season. Kyle Wade followed him with two more hitless innings. They combined to retire 15 of the final 18 OSU batters of the game. Parker also picked a runner off at first base.
Cole McKenzie singled and walked to extend his reached base safely streak to 21 consecutive games.
Lonsway's 14 strikeouts were the most by a single pitcher against Purdue since at least the beginning of the 2005 season. The previous high was 13 by future big leaguer Daniel Bard (North Carolina) in a March 2006 complete game in Chapel Hill.
Saturday's series and season finale is slated for a 1 p.m. ET first pitch.
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Another three-run homer coupled with a 14-strikeout performance from its starting pitcher propelled Ohio State past Purdue baseball 6-1 in game 2 of the series Friday at Alexander Field.
Skyler Hunter's leadoff double led to an early lead for the Boilermakers (20-33, 7-15 B1G), but Hunter was the only player to record a hit against OSU starter Seth Lonsway. The lefty struck out 14 over eight innings of two-hit ball, posting a single-game strikeout record in the seven-year history of Alexander Field. Lonsway (7-4) has racked up 27 Ks over his last two starts and recorded 110 strikeouts in 80 1/3 innings this season.
The Buckeyes (30-24, 11-12 B1G) kept pace in the Big Ten Tournament chase. They remain in a three-way tie for seventh place with Northwestern and Maryland. If UMD completes a sweep of Iowa on Saturday coupled with wins by NU and OSU, the Hawkeyes will join a four-way tie for sixth place. One of the four teams will be left out of the Big Ten Tournament.
Even if Purdue won the first two games of the series this weekend, Maryland's two wins vs. Iowa coupled with Northwestern's victory Friday vs. Minnesota would have eliminated the Boilermakers from Big Ten Tournament contention.
Brent Todys hit the two-out, three-run homer in the third inning, going deep to left field for the second night in a row. He has three extra-base hits and five RBI over the first two games of the series.
Todys' home run was the only one allowed by Patrick J. Smith in 60 innings this season. He entered the night as the only pitcher in the Big Ten with enough innings to qualify for the league's ERA leaders to have not allowed a home run.
Smith (4-4) struck out four of the first 10 batters he faced, finishing his senior season with 70 Ks. His mark of 10.50 strikeouts per nine innings ranks second in program history, behind only teammate Trent Johnson (10.89), for pitchers with at least 60 innings.
The Purdue bullpen posted five consecutive zeros to finish the game. Dalton Parker worked 3 2/3 innings of one-hit ball in his finest outing of the season. Kyle Wade followed him with two more hitless innings. They combined to retire 15 of the final 18 OSU batters of the game. Parker also picked a runner off at first base.
Cole McKenzie singled and walked to extend his reached base safely streak to 21 consecutive games.
Lonsway's 14 strikeouts were the most by a single pitcher against Purdue since at least the beginning of the 2005 season. The previous high was 13 by future big leaguer Daniel Bard (North Carolina) in a March 2006 complete game in Chapel Hill.
Saturday's series and season finale is slated for a 1 p.m. ET first pitch.